Adult Stem Cell Transplant Program

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Looking for the Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Center?

The Stem Cell Transplant Center at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center is one of the world's largest, most experienced pediatric stem cell transplant centers.

Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Program

Stem cell/bone marrow transplant offers some patients with blood cancers and blood disorders the possibility of a cure, and others a longer period of disease-free survival. Founded in 1972, our Adult Stem Cell Transplant Program is one of the largest and most experienced in the world.

Experience Matters

Our stem cell/bone marrow transplant program performs approximately 500 transplants each year and has performed more than 12,100 transplants in the program’s history. This includes more than 5,500 allogeneic transplants and more than 5,100 autologous transplants. This experience makes a difference for our patients.

Our patients' outcomes regularly exceed expected outcomes as established by the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, which reports and analyzes outcomes for recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. In the most recent report (2022), only 6% of centers achieved this outcome level. Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center was the largest center to achieve this outcome.

Celebrating 50 Years of Stem Cell Transplantation

Learn about the history, progress, and innovation in the adult stem cell transplantation program over the past 50 years.

Explore Our History

Stem Cell/Bone Marrow Transplant for a Range of Blood Cancers and Disorders

Stem cell/bone marrow transplant can be an effective treatment for a variety of hematologic malignancies, bone marrow failure syndromes, and rare and congenital blood disorders. We are experienced in stem cell transplant for a variety of hematologic malignancies, bone marrow failure syndromes, and rare and congenital blood disorders. This includes:

Blood Cancers and Malignant Disorders

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/SLL
Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
Hodgkin lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
T-cell lymphoma
Mantle cell lymphoma
Follicular lymphoma
Multiple myeloma
Waldenström's macroglobulinemia
Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN)
Testicular or germ cell cancer
And others

Myeloproliferative Disorders and Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelofibrosis
Myeloproliferative disorders (MPD)
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML)
And others

Non-Malignancy and Congenital Blood Disorders

Aplastic anemia
Diamond-Blackfan anemia
Dyskeratosis congenita
MonoMAC Syndrome
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)
Shwachman-Diamond syndrome
Sickle cell anemia
Thalassemia
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)
Immunodeficiency syndromes
And others

Expertise in All Types of Stem Cell/Bone Marrow Transplant

We perform both autologous and allogeneic stem cell/bone marrow transplants.

For allogeneic patients (i.e., those requiring donor stem cells), we offer:

Related donor transplant
Haploidentical ("half-match") transplant with a biological parent, child, or sibling
Unrelated donor transplant — our unrelated donor program is the largest in the world
Umbilical cord blood transplant
Reduced-intensity ("mini" or "RIC") transplant
Outpatient transplant for some patients

Stem Cell/Bone Marrow Transplant for Older Adults

Reduced-intensity transplants use lower doses of chemotherapy and have been a major factor in extending stem cell/bone marrow transplants for older adults up into their 70s. Our program has transplanted more than 5,000 patients over 55 years old. Our Older Adult Hematologic Malignancies Program provides dedicated support for older patients.

Resources for International Patients

From exceptional medical care to support with housing and other logistics, we offer many services to international patients:

Remote consults and online second opinions to evaluate a diagnosis or recommended treatment plans/options
Patient navigators who accompany patients to appointments
Interpreter services
Nutrition Services, with attention to special dietary needs
Dedicated social work resources
Extensive patient education materials in print, online, and video formats, many of which are translated for non-English speaking patients and caregivers

International Patient Services

Program Accreditations, Registrations and Licenses

Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
The Joint Commission
Fully accredited with the NMDP

Clinical and Research Affiliations

Member of the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR)
Charter member of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network of the National Institutes of Health (BMT-CTN)
Member of the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (formerly CALGB)
Founding member of Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, designated a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute

The Basics of Stem Cell Transplantation

Joseph Antin, MD, presents "The Basics of Stem Cell Transplantation" at Cancer Survivorship 101 on June 8, 2019, an event produced by Survivor Journeys™.